Nectar conversion rate changing

[Alex G]

jj wrote:

zapato1060 wrote:

Its all about price for me. If I dont need baggage and WizzAir 5am is peanuts then I would take it. Im not Avios rich so only long haul J/F (possibly Y in Peak?) is in my eyes, an Avios’s worth.

And many people share you view.

It’s also cheaper to drive a VW Polo than a Range Rover. Both will get you to your destination at the same time, and VW’s IT is more reliable. But many people are willing to pay mare for additional space and comfort.

We’re all different.

I happily pay more for significantly more space and comfort. Unfortunately, that is not something that BA offer on short haul aircraft.

[Londonsteve]

Alex G wrote:

He doesn’t need checked baggage

For people that don’t regularly fly with LCCs, they might not know that this is what makes all the difference these days.
Fees for checked luggage have escalated to the point that they’re frequently more expensive than the fare to begin with. “Take only hand luggage,” they say, except that’ll also cost you a fair whack more as you either pay for ‘priority boarding’ in order to take a trolley bag, or you have to take a satchel into which you can’t realistically pack for more than a couple of days away and you’ll be wearing the same shoes and jacket throughout.

I did once take a ‘small’ item of hand luggage for week away while determined not to cough up for outrageous priority boarding or checked luggage fees, but I had the benefit of a washing machine at my destination and think I spent almost an hour packing the wretched thing before each flight as it was a three dimensional game of tetris trying to fit everything in.

Compared to all this nonsense/cost (insert as applicable) reward fares on BA represent excellent value, even if you’re travelling with hand luggage only and would otherwise have to pay to take a ‘large’ item of hand luggage.

[Alex G]

I’m thinking about going to Portugal for a couple of weeks in August. BA cash fare from Gatwick would be £220, with a checked bag. EasyJet from Luton would be £190, with a checked bag and a standard reserved seat. A redemption from Heathrow would be £115 plus 6500 Avios.

The saving on a redemption isn’t fantastic. If you value Avios at a penny, then I would be saving about £10 by choosing BA. But as its quicker and cheaper for me to get to and (probably) park at Luton, I would probably choose EasyJet.

For anyone travelling with a large cabin bag, the BA HBO fare (£156) is much cheaper than EJ (£196).

There is no one size fits all option.

[ryaneberry]

Londonsteve wrote:

Alex G wrote:

He doesn’t need checked baggage

For people that don’t regularly fly with LCCs, they might not know that this is what makes all the difference these days.
Fees for checked luggage have escalated to the point that they’re frequently more expensive than the fare to begin with. “Take only hand luggage,” they say, except that’ll also cost you a fair whack more as you either pay for ‘priority boarding’ in order to take a trolley bag, or you have to take a satchel into which you can’t realistically pack for more than a couple of days away and you’ll be wearing the same shoes and jacket throughout.

I did once take a ‘small’ item of hand luggage for week away while determined not to cough up for outrageous priority boarding or checked luggage fees, but I had the benefit of a washing machine at my destination and think I spent almost an hour packing the wretched thing before each flight as it was a three dimensional game of tetris trying to fit everything in.

Compared to all this nonsense/cost (insert as applicable) reward fares on BA represent excellent value, even if you’re travelling with hand luggage only and would otherwise have to pay to take a ‘large’ item of hand luggage.

Nail on the head here. If you’re flexible with dates and (sometimes) location then ULCC can be fantastic.

I went BRS to KTW return for a total of £32, packed a backpack and a coat with large pockets and I was fine.

If you know the game that they play (you v airline) then you can often win. My £32 would have quickly became £100 if I even took a regular small carry on bag or stepped out of line. It’s very rewarding knowing that you didn’t fall for anything at the end!